Dumai (Antara Bali) - Thick haze blanketing Dumai city in Riau province over the past few days has prompted the city administration to put the haze disaster on a first-level alert status.

The alert status which began to take effect on Thursday will last until the weather returns to normal, spokesman of the Dumai city administration Muhammad Waziz said.

"The mayor has issued a decision putting the haze disaster on a first-level alert status which began to take effect today," he said.

The decision was taken at a coordination meeting of all relevant agencies to discuss efforts to control and prevent forest and woodland fires, he said.

The meeting led by Dumai city secretary Said Mustafa decided to ask all parties to help the city government fight forest and woodland fires in the region, he said.

In addition, the meeting also asked the city health office to keep monitoring the air quality and distribute masks to prevent the rising number of respiratory infection cases, he said.  
   
Data from the city health office show the number of people treated at local community health posts and hospitals for respiratory problems reached 393 as of Wednesday, up from 351 in early June. (*/DWA)

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Editor : Dewa Sudiarta Wiguna


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